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This is Journey with Care, official podcast of Care
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Impact. Johan here, and today, I will be your
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guide. Welcome to the special series of Care Impact
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Christmas, where we celebrate the joy of the Christmas season.
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As the snow falls outside and the warmth of the holiday spirit fills
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our hearts, we invite you to gather your closest loved ones,
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your kids, grandkids, friends, or family. Get
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cozy by the fire or snuggle up with a blanket and a cup of hot
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cocoa and get ready for something truly special.
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Today, we invite you to journey with us through a series of short stories that
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capture the essence of Christmas. These tales are filled with
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warmth, care, and loving generosity.
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So take a sip of that rich hot cocoa, nestle into your
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favorite spot, and let the glow of the firelight or simply of your
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Bluetooth speaker bring our stories to life.
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Episode 1, Lump of Coal.
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Once upon a time, deep in the earth, where the rocks
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are dark and the dust is thick, a little lump of coal
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began its life. It
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wasn't shiny or sparkling. In fact, it was
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rather ordinary. But just
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wait. This coal, this humble lump,
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was about to become something far more meaningful than it can ever
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imagine.
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I'm just a lump of boring old coal in a heap of many.
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Sure, some have gone on to crackling fireplaces, roaring
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bonfires, or sizzling on a grill, cooking up steaks.
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That's their thing. But me? I'm not into it.
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I'm just here, keeping ordinary,
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like all the others. But what if this lump of
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coal wasn't as ordinary as it thought? What if
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it was destined for more? Let's find out, shall
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we?
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One chilly December afternoon, a man named Elliott
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walked into the coal yard. With a scarf that was just a little too
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long and boots that were just a little too old, he
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walked around trying to decide which lump of coal would be just right for his
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little stove at home. And then,
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He sees me. He's looking right at me.
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Does he see something in me that I'm not yet feeling?
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Yes, he he's reaching out for me. Here I
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go.
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Yeah. I I think this lump of coal will heat up
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nicely alongside the others. Ahem.
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Excuse me. I'm not much into that glowing and heating
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up the room kind of thing. I'm I'm not so sure I even can.
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Sure, I'd love to, but it seems kinda complicated.
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Elliott took the lump of coal home. The coal was nervous,
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unsure of what was about to happen.
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But then it was welcomed into a heap of glowing embers
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and before long, it was glowing radiantly, warming up many
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people in its presence. Wow. So this is what that was
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created for. This is what it's like to live for a purpose,
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on purpose. As the night went on, the lump of coal
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burned brighter and brighter, glowing warmly in the small
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stove. It wasn't the biggest piece or the fanciest,
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but it was doing something extraordinary. It was making a
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difference. In its quiet, unassuming way,
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it was giving comfort, light, and warmth to people who
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needed it more than he realized. I always thought I was
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just an ordinary lump of coal,
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but tonight I learned something. I can be much
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more. I can help others feel warmer. I can bring
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light where there was darkness.
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It's been a tough year, but tonight
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tonight feels different. The love of coal was
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more than it had ever imagined. It wasn't being big
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or flashy. It was about being present, about
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quietly changing the world one small, steady
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glow at a time. And so this lump of coal
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discovered its true purpose, to bring warmth and light to the
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darkest of times. The lump once small and
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and forgotten had found its place in the world.
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But this is just the beginning of its journey. After all, there
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were many other lumps of coal still sitting in piles in the coal
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yard. I wonder what would happen if we had
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them join in too. Well, I
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I can't wait to meet them. Maybe I'll realize how special they
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are too. Next
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week, join us as we meet another humble champion that is
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ready to make a big difference. Until then,
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remember, sometimes the most unassuming things
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can light up the world.
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This Christmas, you can ignite extraordinary compassion in
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ordinary people, bringing light and warmth to the most
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overlooked in the community. Go to care impact christmas.com
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to buy lumps of coal for everyone on your list. Whether they're naughty
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or nice, your loved ones will be delighted to know that their lump
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of coal is helping one chillaxing church goer get fired up with
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our invigorating care journey small group experience. It's
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igniting their heart and head and hands to make a real
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difference in their community. When people tap into their god
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given purpose, they're unstoppable. So your gift can
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help make that happen. Help us reach our goal of a 150
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lumps of coal by December 31st, and remember, your
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generosity will be matched, doubling your impact.
